S.Africa's Zuma counts cost after surviving vote

Thousands of protesters massed outside South Africa's national assembly before the vote of no-confidence in President Jacob Zuma, which was won by the embattled leader

South African President Jacob Zuma survived the no-confidence motion but he was weakened after at least 30 African National Congress lawmakers voted against him

Wed, Aug 09 2017 CDT

By Agence France-Presse

Johannesburg (AFP)

South African opposition leaders piled pressure on President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday after a parliamentary vote of no confidence exposed deep rifts in his ANC party as it readies for a leadership battle.

Zuma survived the attempt to oust him, but he was weakened after at least 30 African National Congress lawmakers voted on Tuesday for a motion that would have forced him to resign.

The 75-year-old is due to step down as head of the party in December, and as national president before the 2019 general election.

Whoever succeeds him as party leader would be likely to be the next South African president, and Tuesday's vote underlined the fierce struggle for control of the party once led by anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.

Zuma is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to take over, ahead of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

"The opposition will now step up its campaign against Zuma -- he is the symbol that they use to scare voters (away from the ANC)," Achille Mbembe, political analyst at Wits University in Johannesburg, told AFP.

"This is the end of the post-colonial story when the liberation movement comes to power but then loses its legitimacy."

On Tuesday, Zuma secured 198 votes against 177 for the opposition motion, which would have needed 201 votes to gain a majority and oust him -- and his entire cabinet.

- 'Mortally wounded'? -

Many analysts said the vote, which was held by secret ballot, was closer than expected.

"Jacob Zuma survived yet again, protected by the party that elected him twice and shielded him from accountability countless times," Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, said Wednesday.

"It was the first time in 23 years of democracy that such a number of ANC MPs broke rank," he said, calling for early elections.

Julius Malema, head of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, said: "Our work is now bringing some positive results... We will eat this elephant piece by piece."

Criticism of Zuma from within the ANC has grown amid multiple corruption scandals and South Africa's mounting economic woes.

Several opposition parties led thousands of anti-Zuma protesters outside the national assembly before Tuesday's vote, while supporters of the president held a rival march.